Potential Long-Term Effects of Car Accidents on Children

Car accidents are traumatizing no matter what age you are as a passenger. Children, however, are more prone to long-term physical and psychological effects after a car accident than adults. After an auto accident, a child may exhibit signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, such as flashbacks, nightmares or regression. The severe injuries a child sustains in a car accident could also have lifelong physical effects. You and your family could be eligible for a substantial financial award for your child’s long-term damages in Texas.

Car Accidents and Emotional Distress

A serious car accident can cause long-lasting mental health problems for a child victim. Children may not entirely understand what happened during a car accident or how to cope with the fear and trauma the crash inflicted. Children are not as emotionally stable as adults, making them vulnerable to potential long-term psychological damages after traumatic experiences such as car crashes. Child survivors of car accidents may suffer many intangible damages.

• Emotional distress
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Sleep disorders
• Mental anguish
• Fear, stress or anxiety
• Depression
• Mood swings
• Behavioral changes
• Lower performance in school
• Distraction or withdrawal
• Social isolation
• Loss of interest in activities

If a child lost a loved one in the car accident, such as a parent or sibling, the emotional distress from the experience could be even more severe. Suffering such a serious loss at a young age could set the child up for related problems in the future, as an adult, including depression, drug or alcohol addiction, or suicidal thoughts or actions. It is important for a parent to get a child the professional help he or she needs after a traumatizing auto accident, such as psychological treatment, to facilitate emotional healing.

Long-Term Physical Injuries

Children are also more vulnerable to serious physical injuries in a crash. Their bodies are still developing, leading to unique issues such as soft bones and the potential for stunted growth or lack of proper muscle development as they grow. Even with a safety device such as a car seat, a child could suffer life-changing injuries in an auto accident. Some of the most common include traumatic brain injuries, internal organ damage and spinal cord injuries. Serious injuries could haunt a child for life, leading to medical problems even as an adult. A child that suffers a brain injury in a car accident, for example, could experience lifelong symptoms ranging from cognitive challenges to motor function deficits.

A permanent disability in a child due to an auto accident could require millions of dollars in lifelong medical care. A paralyzing spinal cord injury, for example, could require disability accommodations for the child for life. If the average lifetime cost of a spinal cord injury acquired at age 25 exceeds $4 million, one sustained younger will cost even more. A permanently disabled child could also suffer related losses in the form of lost wages and lost future capacity to earn. Permanent physical injuries can also contribute to a child’s emotional distress, including lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem.

Recovering Compensation for a Child’s Future Losses

It is important to consider all the potential long-term effects of a car accident, physically and emotionally, on a child during a personal injury claim. If you file a claim against someone for your child’s crash-related injuries, do not only demand compensation for what he or she has already suffered. Use an attorney to help you also calculate the foreseeable future losses your child will suffer and hardships he or she will face because of the crash or permanent injuries.

Your family could be eligible for a monetary award to cover all past and future medical expenses, lost wages, physical pain, emotional suffering, psychological distress and lost quality of life a child will suffer because of a car accident. Although money will not repair the extreme damages your child has suffered, it could give your family financial stability and peace of mind during a difficult time or the years to come. A compensatory award could enable you to provide for your child’s medical, physical and emotional needs for life.